Arizona lawmaker boasts about driving 140 mph in his Lexus

Jul 15, 2018, 5:26pm ETby Ben Hsu

\"Yeah, I go 130, 140, 120,\" Paul Mosley said to a sheriff\'s deputy during a traffic stop.

An Arizona lawmaker has faced a backlash after video of a traffic stop in which he was involved has gone viral. In it, he boasts to the officer who pulled him over that he drives as high as 140 mph in his Lexus LS 400.

On March 27 an Arizona State House representative Paul Mosley (R-5th District) was pulled over for allegedly driving 97 miles per hour in Parker, Arizona. However, footage revealed after Not surprisingly, the officer's body cam video of the incident was released after local news site ParkerLiveOnline filed a Freedom of Information Act request, and in it Mosley apparently admits to a flagrant disregard of traffic laws.

The video shows that as the sheriff's deputy returns Mosley's license, he issues a verbal warning about traveling 97 mph.

Well, I was doing 120 earlier," Mosley replies nonchalantly, before the deputy can finish his sentence.

"Really?" asks the deputy.

"Yeah, this goes 140. That's what I like about it," Mosley says, referring to his Lexus LS400. He then goes on to explain that his Toyota Prius is slower, but that it's in the shop right now.

"You were driving 130 earlier, you said?" the deputy asks.

"Yeah, I go 130, 140, 120. Yeah, I come down I-10. I was going 120 almost," Mosley responds, adding, "You know, if there was no traffic." Traffic can clearly by seen in the background, however.

Mosley explains that he was going home to surprise his family and that the Lexus's "nice wheels, nice, you know, suspension" prevent him from noticing his speed. Typically a this would not be a valid excuse, but according to the Arizona State Constitution, Mosley is immune from citations:

Members of the legislature shall be privileged from arrest in all cases except treason, felony, and breach of the peace, and they shall not be subject to any civil process during the session of the legislature, nor for fifteen days next before the commencement of each session. (Article IV, part 2, section 6.).

After a brief exchange the deputy sends Mosley on his way, but the video is worth watching. Mosley later issued an apology on his Facebook page, in which he claims he was joking.